


A Christmas Surprise

by neverenoughgay



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 10:16:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16931388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverenoughgay/pseuds/neverenoughgay
Summary: Newt and Tina are preparing for their annual Christmas party, but Tina is feeling under the weather and Newt will need to finish getting ready on his own.





	A Christmas Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @tina-goldstn on tumblr for helping me out!

“Tina? Tina, Queenie and Jacob are getting here in an hour! Tina?” Newt shuffled around the house, looking for Tina. He had already checked the kitchen, the living room, the menagerie, and he had even very cautiously peeked in the bathroom. She had been working on cooking their Christmas dinner before he had snuck down to the menagerie but now she was nowhere to be found. Queenie and Jacob were supposed to get there in an hour and some of their other friends would be arriving soon after.

He made his way into the dining room, checking to see if she was setting the table, and instead found Dougal making his way around the table, placing silverware randomly around the already laid out plates. He looked up at Newt before going back to gently constructing a teepee out of forks. Still no Tina to be found. But then he heard it.

“Newt?” Followed by the sound of the toilet flushing in the upstairs bathroom. Newt made a face and contemplated removing Dougal from the dining room before their china got ruined before shaking his head and bolting up the stairs.

He made his way to the bathroom, but Tina wasn’t there.

“Newt?” She called quietly from down the hall. He made his way to the bedroom and found Tina, still dressed in a white Christmas sweater and khaki pants, pulling her pajamas out of the dresser. She stopped and looked up when he walked in, giving him a solemn look. His heart dropped. Her mouth pulled into a gentle smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Hi honey.”

She placed her pajamas on the bed and started to change. He made his way toward her while she pulled her sweater over her head. Despite having seen far more skin in recent months, he squinted to give her some privacy, creating little wrinkles around his eyes.

“Tina, darling, why are you putting your pajamas on? It’s only six” He said, peeking an eye open. She turned to him, now half changed, and took a deep breath.

“Newt I need you to finish getting ready for Christmas.” He smiled awkwardly, trying not to show how terrified he was on the inside. Prepare for Christmas? On his own??? It wasn’t as though he didn’t know how to do things, there was just a much larger margin of error where Newt was concerned. Besides, he and Tina had planned to do it all together. She could clearly see the concern on his face. “I’m just... a little under the weather.” She was now fully changed and she placed a hand on each side of his neck, looking him in the eyes. She was the only person who could stare into his eyes and make him feel at home.

“I- See I’m not sure how…It’s rather... I’m not sure I can do all that without you,” he finally settled on with a sigh. He placed his hand on her forehead, but she reached up and wrapped her hands around it, pulling it down to her heart. She exhaled and looked him in the eye so he knew she was serious.

“I think you can do it, maybe Dougal will even help you” she said. She dropped his hand and made her way to the bed, pulling the duvet down and cuddling in. He gave a slight nod before cuddling in behind her, settling his chin on her shoulder and rubbing his hand up and down her arm. It was so odd for Tina to be sick and even odder for her to let it get in her way. He didn’t like it. He knew she wouldn’t tell him what was wrong, but it had to be bad for her to be in bed at 6pm. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to quell the anxiety plaguing his mind. They laid like that for a moment, neither acknowledging their quickly elapsing time before the Christmas party. Finally Tina broke the silence. “I left a note on the kitchen counter. It’s not too many things to do.” She turned over, watching Newt’s face return to panic. He simply couldn’t do it, not by himself and not when he knew Tina was ill in bed.

“Tina…” he started, but he didn’t have an argument. He needed to do this for her. So he stood and, giving her a peck on the cheek for good measure, headed out the door to begin his adventure.

  
The list wasn’t long, as she said, but without her help and with only an hour until Queenie and Jacob arrived, it would be tight. Alright, he thought to himself, first thing on the list: make cookies. He went back to the dining room and found Dougal picking the remains of a broken plate off the floor and the niffler on the table, trying to shove a silver candlestick in his pocket. He rubbed his temples before running after the niffler and wrenching the candlestick away from him. He would need to go back in the basement for the time being, Dougal on the other hand…

Moments later Dougal and Newt stood in the kitchen, wearing matching lacy white aprons (one was usually Tina’s, but Newt had folded it and tied it tightly around Dougal’s tiny waist), and gathering supplies for the cookies. Dougal dropped a stick of butter in the bowl, the paper sticking to his hand. He shook it, trying to coax it off but it stuck still. He shook harder and lost his balance, falling off his step stool and crashing into Newt who, in turn, knocked the entire carton of eggs to the floor. Eggs splashed everywhere. Newt sat, covered in white and yolk and staring at the mess around him.

“Well, I suppose we’ll need more eggs then.” He gave Dougal a hearty glare and Dougal lowered his head, now licking the remaining butter off the paper.

Newt stood carefully and grabbed pulled Pickett off the counter where he had been strenuously whisking together the dry ingredients. He would need to clean up before he went out.

  
Tina was still laying on the bed, a book in hand and the bowl Newt had brought her by her side. Neither of them had really acknowledged the reasons behind it, he had simply set it beside her and rushed back down to the kitchen. She lowered her book when Newt arrived, her eyes widening when she saw the state he was in.

“What in the world happened?!” He gave a quick closed-lipped smile, but didn’t dare look in her direction.

“Nothing, everything is off to a good start, I’m off to pick up Queenie’s present.” He returned from the closet dressed in a new white shirt, new black pants, and his smart blue coat. He gave Tina a small nod and rushed out the door before any further questioning. She shook her head, a little smile growing on her face. Finally, she heard the door shut and she jumped out of bed, throwing her coat over her pajamas and rushing downstairs and out the back door, doing her best to ignore the egg smatterings and demiguise preparing the Christmas roast in the kitchen.

  
Newt walked through town, his collar pulled over his ears, keeping the cold wind at bay and, more importantly, keeping him securely in his own head. He’d never been good at gifts. Everyone always seemed to be perplexed by his gifts. Last year he’d gotten Tina a little set of dark blue barrettes “to keep the hair out of your face”. He’d meant it to be a reference to their first real goodbye, but she’d only looked at him with an eyebrow cocked. It was only when he gently pinned one in her hair that she gave a squinty eyed smile and pulled his face to hers.

But to buy a gift for Queenie was a different story. Queenie was a different story. He shifted his gaze back and forth across the street, looking for anything that shouted “Queenie”. There were boutiques he was sure she would love, but he couldn’t bring himself to go inside. At one point he found a store, a pink Christmas tree front and center in the window display, and stood in front of it for five minutes, periodically shaking his head and taking a step toward the door before stepping back and tripping up someone walking behind him. Finally a clerk poked her head out.

“Can I help you?” She asked, looking slightly frightened.

“Um… I suppose… I’m looking for a gift… for my girlfriend’s sister. She… quite likes pink.” The clerk cracked a smile.

“I suppose we may have something.” She led him inside and minutes later Newt was leaving with a little pink gift bag, overflowing with pink tissue paper and 5 clerks giggling and waving him off down the street.

  
Newt walked through the back door, eggs and gift in hand, to find Dougal, knife in hand, chopping carrots at the counter while Pickett dropped them one at a time into a pan of hot oil. They had clearly attempted to clean up the earlier incident, but instead egg was now spread all over the kitchen floor. Newt decided that was a problem for tomorrow and headed to the living room to place Queenie’s present under the tree. He only had about 20 minutes until they arrived and just under an hour until the party was set to start. He returned to the kitchen and finished making the cookie dough. Dougal helped him roll it out and cut it into stars, trees, and snowmen, while Pickett stirred the vegetables. Soon the whole kitchen was filled with the smell of roast beef, stewed vegetables, and sugar cookies. Newt was bent over, sliding a sheet of cookies into the oven, when he heard the back door open. Queenie and Jacob typically used the front, but he still looked up expecting them to be walking in. But it wasn’t them.

“Tina, darling, what are you doing out of bed?” Her eyes were wide, her lips pressed together. A little paper stuck out of her coat pocket. It caught Newt’s eye. “What’s that?” He reached for it, but she caught his hand in hers.

“I-I was just… I forgot something for your present.” He frowned. She’d begun bragging weeks ago about how she’d found the perfect present and already had it wrapped and under the tree. That big box had been mocking him for weeks. What could she have possibly forgotten?

“What could you have possibly forgotten?” She gave a little grin.

“It’s a surprise, Mr. Scamander.” She smirked and gave him a quick kiss, rushing past to the living room. He followed.

“Did you go out in your pajamas? Tina, you need to get back to bed, you’re sick.” His voice cracked a little. He could see little black rings forming under her eyes, her face pale. He hated seeing her this way. “Come on,” he said after she’d put the little rolled up paper under the tree, “let’s get you to bed.” He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her up the stairs. Once she was safely in bed, book in hand, Newt placed a gentle kiss on her temple and turned to head back to the kitchen.

“Newt?” He turned. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Tina.”

Back in the kitchen the vegetables were slightly burnt, but edible and the roast and cookies were out of the oven. Newt gave Dougal a pat on the head and a snowman to nibble on before untying his apron and relieving him of his duties. Suddenly he heard a commotion coming from the living room. He made his way out to find Queenie and Jacob sitting in front of the tree, rifling through the presents.

“Oh! This one’s for you!” Queenie exclaimed, clearly pulling a little box out of her sleeve and presenting it to Jacob. He grinned at her and pulled a similar box from his own sleeve. Newt stood in the doorway, smiling awkwardly. “OH! Hi, honey! I didn’t see you there!” Queenie stood and wrapped Newt in a big hug. He held his arms at his side, Jacob offering him a silent apology from over Queenie’s shoulder. “Well, where’s Teen?” Queenie exclaimed upon pulling away.

“Uh… she’s a little under the weather. She’s in bed.”

“Oh no! Well, I’ll go say hello. Have you been getting ready all by yourself?” Newt gave a silent nod and an awkward smirk. “Oh you poor baby! Jacob, help Newt!” And with that she fled up the stairs. Jacob turned to Newt, arms open wide.

“Put me where you want me!”

  
Newt set Jacob up arranging appetizers while he returned to the kitchen to frost the cookies and cut the roast. He arranged it on a plate surrounded by the slightly burnt vegetables and carried it out to the table. Jacob had, quite impressively, arranged a few plates of snacks around the table and Newt placed the roast in the the middle like a perfect, juicy centerpiece. They stood back to admire their handiwork and then headed back to the kitchen to finish up the cookies. Queenie came down the back stairs while they were icing, clearly trying to hide the giant grin spreading across her face. Jacob looked up.

“Hey, baby! What’s got you so smiley?”

“Mm, what?” She looked distracted, like she could hear Jacob talking, but she was far away, something important on her mind. Suddenly she came back to life, eyes bright. “Are you frosting cookies? Oh, I’ll help!” And there they sat, frosting and arranging cookies in the kitchen. And that’s where Tina found them when she ventured downstairs, back in her Christmas sweater and khaki pants.

“Tina! Are you feeling alright?” Newt examined her face as he walked toward her. She looked better, but still tired, still off…

He placed his hands on the sides of her face and she placed her hands over his.

“I’m fine, Newt. I want to come to the party.” She had that determined smile on, the one he loved. He couldn’t help by smile back.

“So… should we exchange gifts before everyone gets here?” Queenie suggested, a smile lighting up her face.

  
They all sat around the tree in the living room, Queenie the closest, passing out presents that grew into little stacks around each of them. They went around the circle, opening gifts one at a time. Queenie opened Newt’s gift.

“It’s very… pink,” she said, pulling out a fluffy pink hat. She looked at him and softened. “I love it. Thank you, Newton.” He blushed and exhaled deeply, one present down.

Tina opened Newt’s gift to her next, a stack of new mystery books. She gave him a tight hug and a soft kiss and then passed him a big box and the little rolled up piece of paper.

“You have to open the box first,” she said, bouncing up on her knees and biting her lip. Newt grinned at her, she was so cute when she was excited. He ripped open the box to find a brand new coat inside, dark grey instead of blue. He wrapped it around her shoulders and laughed.

“I love it.” He pulled her in for a kiss but she held the paper up between them before he could, looking him dead in the eyes with a devious grin on her face. Off to the side he heard Queenie giggle and he turned to see her waving her arms at him, encouraging him to open it. He plucked it from Tina’s hand. It was all tied up with a little red ribbon which he pulled off, letting it float away behind him. And then he opened it.

His mouth dropped open and a hand flew to cover it.

“You’re lying.” He looked to Tina, tears now filling her eyes, a grin spreading across her face and making her squint like she always did. She shook her head and he picked her up in his arms, standing and letting the paper float to the floor where it laid “I’m Pregnant!!!” in all caps across its surface. Queenie sat by the tree clapping and giggling while Jacob tried to get a glimpse of the note. But Newt and Tina were in their own world. Their tears mixed as she wrapped her legs around his waist and they kissed, her hands running through his hair. Finally he put her down and looked into her beautiful deep brown eyes, his hands around her face. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs and pulled her into another long kiss. Finally he turned to face their guests, his hand protectively wrapped around Tina’s waist.

“Well,” he exclaimed before dropping his head and wiping away his tears again. He turned back toward Tina and placed a hand on her belly. Queenie sat sobbing in Jacob’s arms.

“Baby? What’s wrong? They’re gonna have a baby!” Queenie laughed.

“It’s just that this is going to be the most loved baby in the world,” she managed before bursting into tears again, leaving Jacob with the only dry eyes in the room.

  
And so Christmas passed, and it was the best Christmas they could all remember for many years. It was the Christmas their gang gained a fifth member. They all struggled to keep the secret under wraps throughout the party and that night Newt and Tina held each other extra close.

The months passed and the house changed and Tina did as well.

Until finally Christmas came again.

They sat around the tree, ready to open presents as usual. Queenie next to the tree, Jacob on a chair next to her. Tina sat on the loveseat across from them. And Newt, Newt came in from the kitchen following Dougal, who had a little bundle all wrapped in his arms. He was beautiful. A little boy with Tina’s eyes and Newt’s lips. Newt helped Dougal carefully pass him to Tina and then sat down next to her, his arm wrapped around her. A perfect little family complete at last. Queenie grinned at them all sitting there together.

“So, should we start?” She asked. After collective agreement, Queenie turned to the tree and passed a little rolled up paper to Jacob. “You first.” 


End file.
